STRATHAM, N.H.—Timberland L.L.C. has partnered with Terra Genesis International to build the world's first regenerative rubber supply system for footwear, with plans to pilot a collection in 2023.
The move expands on its regenerative leather footwear offerings, which includes the new Greenstride Solar Wave EK+ collection. In addition to regenerative leather in the uppers, GreenStride comfort soles are made of 75 percent renewable materials, combining sugar cane and natural rubber from trees.
They are "Earthkeepers Edition" styles, marked with an EK+ to reflect Timberland's eco-innovations.
"Our planet has a problem—there is too much carbon in the air and not enough in the ground," the company said in a release. "Regenerative practices mimic nature, enabling the land to pull more carbon out of the atmosphere and efficiently store it in the ground, where it can rebuild the structure of the soil, leading to healthy, hydrated, fertile ground—and ultimately, net positive impacts for the land and the farmers."
Timberland has set a goal for 100 percent of its natural materials to be sourced from regenerative agriculture by 2030.
"At Timberland, we strive for a greener and more equitable future, and investing in regenerative agriculture is one of the most powerful levers we have to achieve this vision," Zack Angelini, Timberland's senior manager of environmental stewardship, said in the release. "We are excited about the progress we're making to source our top volume materials in a way that supports the farmers and ranchers working to reverse environmental degradation and create a world that is more abundant, more resilient and even more beautiful than it is today."
This summer, the Timberland PRO line for the skilled trades will introduce its first regenerative leather boot, the Gridworks EK+.
